The Program

Ayurvedic Practitioner

This is where your career as an ayurvedic healer begins. Cultivate the wisdom and power of one of the world’s oldest healing traditions within you. Become the person who guides someone in need to their own vitality. Above all, unlock the inherent wisdom that is living inside of you right now.

IIA’s Ayurvedic Practitioner Program goes above and beyond to prepare you for the trials and tribulations of helping others become physically and mentally balanced so that they may live in harmony with their spirit.

Engage in one-on-one and small group learning. Build lasting relationships with some of the world’s best ayurvedic doctors in the States, Europe and India. Work with real clients to learn how to apply ayurvedic principles in creative and relevant ways. Discover your talents within the scope of Ayurveda. Travel to India to experience how Ayurveda can be applied anywhere, in many forms. Receive continued education and support as your progress over the years.

This isn’t a weekend workshop. Its a transformation.

Banyan Tree for Ayurvedic Practitioner Program

Location

In Person and Online

Duration

2 years

Hours

1,500

Certificate

Ayurvedic Practitioner

Course Information

Curriculum

  • The fundamentals of Ayurveda

  • The five primal elements - how they actually work in nature

  • Understanding the doshas in great detail

  • Individual prakruti - ayurvedic constitution

  • Ayurvedic anatomy and physiology

  • Daily and seasonal routines

  • How to create an ayurvedic diet for an individual

  • Forms of exercise based on individual needs

  • The three pillars of health

  • Ayurvedic diagnostic techniques including pulse and tongue diagnosis

  • Extensive counseling training

  • Pathology of Imbalances

  • Ayurvedic Herbology

  • Starting and running an ayurvedic clinic and business

  • The autonomic nervous system

  • Panchakarma and individual ayurvedic therapies

  • Yoga asana, pranayama and meditation

  • Understanding the basics of allopathic bloodwork

  • Women’s health and men’s health topics

  • Ayurvedic prenatal, natal, and postnatal care

India Clinical Intensive

Ghee Candles for Ayurvedic Practitioner Program

Experiences

Learning Ayurveda in India helps you create a more robust understanding of the application of ayurvedic principles. It also exposes you the the ayurvedic hospital context, something that doesn’t exist in the West.

IIA’s Ayurvedic Practitioner Program takes you to Gomantak Hospital and Academy in Goa, India where you will spend three weeks learning from extremely experienced ayurvedic doctors helping hundreds of patients each day. The atmosphere is kind, supportive and enthusiastic. The Ayurvedic faculty and doctors in training at Gomantak are more than ready to take you by the hand and teach/learn right along with you, whether its in the panchakarma ward, the outpatient department, or the classroom. You’ll also spend a day exploring Gomantak's vast ayurvedic herbal garden and learning about different medicinal plants in their natural environment. Our graduates maintain working relationships with the Doctors they meet at Gomantak for continued support and education.

You will be invited to spend ample time in Dr. Neelesh Korde’s private clinic in Panjim to experience the flow and style of a traditional ayurvedic clinic in India - which is quite different than it is in the States, Canada and Europe.

IIA will help you secure great lodging in the heart of Panjim and arrange all of your transportation to and from the airport, and the Gomantak Campus.

FAQS

    • High school graduate or equivalent

    • A conversation with our CAO and an application

    • Your current intentions for learning Ayurveda

  • We offer “rolling admission” which means you can start the program anytime between March and the end of October of any given year. We can offer this because most of the foundations of Ayurveda are learned in a one-on-one context.

  • The Ayurvedic Practitioner Program is $19,000 for the two years. This includes two clinical intensive, three week internships in India (except travel, food and lodging).

    Why are some Ayurvedic Practitioner Programs at other schools less expensive?
    Be sure to take a look at their clinical internship requirements. Some programs charge these separately brining their final program costs to $20,000 - $25,000.

    Can I make monthly payments?
    Yes. IIA is happy to structure a payment plan that works for you.

  • Upon completion of the program you will receive your Ayurvedic Practitioner Certificate. This marks 1,500 hours of completed training.

  • Unlike the allopathic model of health there is very little infrastructure for Ayurvedic Practitioners to become employees. In general, our graduates start their own business. Part of the AP Program is learning how to start a successful ayurvedic business. IIA offers continued support for all of its graduates in growing their career.

  • You’ll learn with Victor Briere, A.D. for two hours each week. Your client encounters over the two years will be supervised by an Ayurvedic Doctor and discussed afterwards

  • IIA does not offer an Ayurvedic Counselor Program (typically 500 hours) because we do not believe that is enough training for most to be successful in an ayurvedic career.

  • Si! Prego! Training at the IIA Clinic and Academy in the historic center of Montepulciano is welcomed. Its also optional and not required to complete the AP Program. Have a chat with our Chief Academic Officer to discuss incorporating Italy into your program.

  • This does not necessarily mean you can’t enroll in the AP Program. If you have specific circumstances that don’t allow lengthy travel then we suggest you schedule a video or phone call with our CAO to come up with potential solutions. After all, a core value of Ayurveda is dexterity.

  • In general yes. IIA will honor the training you have already completed.

    If you have already completed an Ayurvedic Counselor Program at another school we can discuss transferring those credits toward IIA’s Practitioner Program in order to reduce program time and costs.

  • You are not required be a NAMA Member or take the NAMA Exam to practice Ayurveda in the States. However, if you choose to, this program fulfills the requirements and prepares you to sit for the NAMA AP Exam. To date, 100% of our graduates have passed the NAMA AP Exam on their first attempt.

    The IIA AP Program is not a NAMA approved program. This is to avoid NAMA’s yearly program approval fees which allows us to keep our tuition lower.

    You do not need to attend a NAMA approved program to sit for the NAMA Exam or be a NAMA Member. IIA has both graduates that have chosen to become NAMA members and graduates that have chosen not to become NAMA Members.

    If you are in a country other than the United States there may be an organization similar to NAMA. These organizations are like membership clubs, not governmental authorities. They do not have a say in whether you can practice Ayurveda in your region.

  • No. Ayurveda is not currently a medically licensed practice in the USA, Canada or Europe. This means you do not need a government license to practice Ayurveda in these locations. There may be local requirements about the scope of ayurvedic practice.

  • Life happens. In the event that you can’t complete the program IIA will discuss potential continuation options with you for the future. If continuation is not possible then you will be given a transcript with what you have completed thus far. Depending on your payment structure you’ll either be given a partial refund or will be excused from future payments.

What Students & Graduates Have to Say

  • Ayurvedic practitioner student Jennifer Thomas

    Jennifer Thomas, PhD, AP Student

    "The AP program changed my life in unimaginable ways.It provided invaluable tools to support true healing. IIA creates a dynamic learning environment committed to cultivating practitioners with a diverse knowledge base equipped to effectively address the multifaceted aspects of illness."

  • Ayurvedic Practitioner Graduate Mary Clark

    Mary Clark, AP Graduate

    “IIA’s Ayurvedic Practitioner program was an incredibly transformative experience. The program is deeply authentic and stays true to the core teachings of Ayurveda. The instructors are truly fantastic—kind, knowledgeable, and deeply passionate about teaching Ayurveda. They go above and beyond to ensure you learn everything you need and more.”

  • Barbara Boyle, AP Graduate, AD Student

    The 1:1 mentorship provided by IIA in the Ayurvedic Practitioner program was invaluable in growing my depth of understanding of Ayurveda, and in supporting my ability to apply the principles of Ayurveda into real life work with clients. I had previously studied at several other Ayurvedic schools, and none were able to provide even close to the same caliber of mentorship in developing the skills it takes to be a truly effective counselor. Victor has a gift for knowing what each individual student needs next in their learning, and has the capacity to both push you just enough beyond your comfort level while providing the unwavering support you need to truly grow as a practitioner. 

Request Information

If you’re interested in learning more about IIA’s Ayurvedic Practitioner program, please reach out with your questions or schedule a video or phone call with our chief academic officer.